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(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

` J. G. MITCHELL.

SBGTIONAL-ROOF FOR STILLS.

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J. G.*MITCHELL. y SEGTIO'NAL ROOF FOR STILLS. No. 409,998. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

UNIrED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. MITCHELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TH ATLANTIC REFINING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. l

sEoTloNAL RooF Foa srlLLs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,998, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed March 12, 1889. Serial No. 302,998. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: corresponding size and disposition in each Be it known that l, JAMES G. MlroHELL, a one of a pair of plates.

citizen of the United States, residing in the d are a series of arches or supporters of city and county of Philadelphia, in the State which four'are shown as employed in Fig. l,

of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved which rest as to their extremities upon the 5 5 Sectional Roof for Stills, of which the followbrick work of the furnace, and extend across ing S a Specification. the still. These arches correspond in out-line My invention relates to contrivances emto the outline of the end plates, and are deployed to protect and cover stills especially.. signed to afford support to the hinge rods'and 1o those of the cylindriform variety employed roof sections, whereof hereinafter. 6o in oil refineries, and its object is to provide a H are a series of hinge rods, being each the cheap and durable roof-like structure which axial rod of a section, each extending from can be easily opened and closed to expose the the end to a point midway of the still, supi still to or protect it from the atmosphere. ported in bearings'formed for it in the sup- 15 In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevaporting arches between the end and center of 65 tional view of a still provided witha roof emthe still, and having its outer extremity enbodying my invention, part of the roof sectered in the supporting plate D of that end tions being broken away to exhibit the arof the still in connection with which `it is rangement of the hinge rods. Fig. 2is afront mounted. The rods are entered in the supy 2o elevational view of the still of Fig. l. Fig. 3 porting plates each in proximity to the upper 7o is a detailed elevational view of a form of end of a straight portion or facet, and the indevice whereby two roof sections maybe siner extremities of corresponding rods on opmultaneously opened. Fig. 4 is a detailed posite ends of the still almost meet at the perspective view of the simplest form of lever center.

25 arm and depending rod, showing also the I are the section-supporting arms, a series 75 i hinge rod, and a section supporting arm. of which are as to their bases attached to Similar letters of reference indicate correeach hinge rod, conveniently by the screws t spending parts. as shown, in such manner that they turn with In the drawings, A is the masonry which said rod, and all of which arms upon a given 3o incloses the furnace, and B the still set in rod project therefrom in a common plane. 8oV said masonry above the furnace. C is a dome J are the roof sections or longitudinally for the vapors from the still. The root' shown extending plates which together compose the is divided into a series of sections each of roof proper, and each of which is preferably which extends longitudinally of the still and formed of sheet `iron with longitudinal cor- 3 5 the aggregate area of which sections is suflrugations. These sections extend from end 85 cient to completely cover that portion of the to center of a still and are of such breadth individual still to which they are applied as is proper in view of the lnumber of sec-` Which exists above the masonry. The sections into which the roof is subdivided. Each tions are practically independent of each section is attached to a hinge rod by being 4o other, and to such end are supported and mounted upon and attached by bolts or riv- 9o manipulated by means of the following deets to its sheet supporting arms. p vices: In Fig. 2 the end plates are shown as em- D are supporting end plates situated one at bodying eight facets. The uppermost or ceneach end of each still. They rest as to their tral section of the roof, which I designate K,

45 bases upon the masonry, and are" in height extends from end to end of the still, covering 95 and breadth about co-extensive with so much the two top facets of each supporting plate, of the still as exists above the masonry. The and is permanently attached to said plates in sides and tops of these plates are preferably any convenient manner. The hinge rods of formed witha number of facets or straight the upper movable sections on each side of 5 0 edge faces, and these straight portions are of said xed section K are situated beneath said roo section and so as to be protected by it, and said upper movable sections are of sufficient breadth to overlap to a slight extent the next sections beneath them.

L L are metal or other eaves irons fixed and extending respectively from end to center of each still, beneath the lowermost movable sections.

It will now be apparent that the assembled sections form a roof or protecting cover for the still, which when closed serve not only to protect the still from the weather, but also to retain its heat, and when open to expose the still to the atmosphere.

As a means for manipulating the roof sections in order to open or close them, I provide one end of each hinge rod with a lever arm P, which projects outward from the hinge rod at a convenient angle. In the left hand side of Fig. 2, each lever arm is shown as provided with a separate and independent manipulating rod M, provided at its lower end with a handle and intermediate of its length engaged in a screw clamp device m. By these devices the roof sections may be one at a time opened and each when opened secured in a desired adjusted position.

In the right hand side of Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3, I show devices by the employment of which two of the roof sections may be so coupled together that a single manipulating rod will serve to control them both. Referring to Fig. 3, the manipulating rod is attached V to the lever arm of the lower of two roof sections, while one end of a link N'is pivotally connected to the upper end of the manipulating rod, and the other end to the free end of therarm of the upper roof section of the two to be coupled, so that when the rod M is drawn downward it will raise both roof sections contemporaneously.

In the right hand side of Fig. 2, is shown an arrangement somewhat similar to that of Fig. 3, in which, however, the link N embodies a longitudinal slot n in which is entered a stud nx on the free end of the lever-arm of the upper roof section, so that both sections being assumed closed, when traction is exerted upon the manipulating rod the lower roof-section will'be immediately lifted, the slotted link simply sliding past the stud nx, and when the parts reach the positions shown in said figure, the manipulating rod may be secured in such position, leaving the -lower section open and the upper one closed, while further traction upon the rod will occasion the lifting of the upper section and the further lifting of the lower section.

It is obvious that the hinge rods and roof sections might be made to extend the entire length of the still instead of being centrally divided as shown, without departure from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:-

l. The combination to form asectional roof for a cylindrical or other shaped still, of supporting plates, a series of hinge rods, a series of roof sections attached to and turning with said rods, and arranged to, when closed, fit or conform as a whole to the shape of the still to which they are applied, and means for turning said hinge rods, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination to form a sectional roof for a cylindrical or other shaped still, of supporting plates, a series of hinge rods, a series of roof sections formed of corrugated iron, attached to and turning with said rods, and arranged to when closed, fit or conform as a whole to the shape of the still to which they are applied, and means for turning said hinge rods, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination to form a sectional roof, of end plates, roof sections formed of corrugated iron, hinge rods, lever arms attached to said hinge rods, and manipulating rods for operating said lever arms, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination to form a sectional roof, of end plates, roof sections formed of corrugated iron, hinge rods, lever arms attached to said hinge rods, manipulating rods, and slotted links, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination to form a sectional roof, of end plates, hinge rods, supporting arms projecting from said rods, roof sections mounted upon said arms, lever arms attached to said hinge rods, and manipulating rods to open and close said roof sections, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination to form a sectional roof of a pair of end plates, having corresponding sectional faces, roof sections each of breadth equal to the length of one of said faces, hinge rods upon which said roof sections are mounted, lever arms upon said hinge rods, and manipulating rods connected to said lever arms, substantially as set forth.

7. In a still roof, in combination, the end plates, the hinge rods, the roof sections, the lever arms, the links, and the manipulating rods, substantially as set forth.

IOO

8. In a still roof, in combination, the sup- Y JAuEs e. MITcnELL.

In presence ofn F. NORMAN DIXON, Lnwis ALTMAIER. 

